Loading and feeding apparatus for coils of strip metal



April 29, 1947. F. J. WOOD 2,419,699

LOADING AND FEEDING APPARATUS FOR COILS OF STRIP METAL Filed June 8, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet l 19 m 96 [O I J/QVENTOR J Wbod/ April 29, 1947. F. J. WOOD 2,419,699

LOADING AND FEEDING APPARATUS FOR COILS OF STRIP METAL Filed June 8, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I. W' 7M Q2 5 PM wirmkvfy April 29, 1947. F. J. WOOD 2,419,699

LOADING AND FEEDING APPARATUS FOR COILS 0F STRIP METAL Filed June 8, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 0 TR L- ALVE p550 aNTlOL Laue JNVENTOR/ 74/000 GQM u; v. CG

A'TTOR' (onrrmz.

F. J. WOOD April 29, 1947.

LOADING AND FEEDING APPARATUS FOR COILS 0F STRIP METAL Filed June 8, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 .j/VT E'NTOQ junk lVooJ JYTTORNQ vm I April 29, 1947. F. J. WOOD LOADING m FEEDING APPARATUS FOR coILs or swan 1mm.

Filed June 8, 1944 r 2 3 w 1 fl m p 0 C a \r m M J m u 9 V f m -i- 4. a F 0 v! x Q m u I L W7 MW W W 7 W "NH n a J H||.|.|L M n u E a 5 s 0 .1 may J .3- H MQ 5 7 mw Wm; a n 'm/ 1 aw 7 mm w j z M m 9. p 8 7 9a I v 7 w 8 6 J 1.1. U Q u r m MK r My IT. k A v I. 1 y M m 9 w mw w 3 Patented Apr. 29, -l 4? LOADING ANDFEEDING APPARATUS FOR COILS OF STRIP METAL Frank J. Wood, Riverside, 111., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 8, 1944, Serial No. 539,368

9 Claims.

Thi invention relates to improvements in loading and feeding apparatus for coils of strip metal.

Heretofore coils of strip metal have been loaded onto rotatable expansible coil supporting blocks or mandrels by power, by mounting the coil on a movable carriage and elevating the coil so its open center can be moved onto the mandrel. The mandrel is then expanded after the coil has been fully mounted thereon. As the coil is loaded onto the mandrel, its tailend, which Projects outwardly from the coil, is moved sideways with the coil between a pair of pinch rolls. These pinch rolls are adapted to grip said tail end of the coil and feed it to a cropping shear, or a processing apparatus such as a roll stand, slitter, brushing unit, pickling and cleaning unit, or any other type of processing apparatus. The coils of metal when so loaded are frequently sprung out of alignment so the coil telescopes to one side or the other, and no means has heretofore been provided which will load, center and align the coil so the coil will evenly pay off of its supporting block. Also, the pinch rolls frequently grip the metal and unwind the coil before it is fully expanded. This causes the coil to spring and unwind to such an extent that the mandrel cannot be sufficiently expanded to fully grip the inside of the coil, resultin in further springing and unwinding of the coil and making it necessary to remove and rewind the coil before processing.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved loading and feeding means for coiled strip metal, which is so arranged as to load and center the coil on an expansible mandrel, and to align the edges of the coil, so the coil may be evenly fed from the mandrel.

Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a coil feeding and loading device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged end view of the device shown in Figure 1 with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in transverse section, and showing the coil telescoped outwardly adjacent the outer end of the mandrel;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation drawn to substantially the same scale as Figure 3, showing the coil telescoped. to extend from its end adjacent the inner end of the mandrel, and illustrating one manner of aligning the edges of the coil;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the coil loading device, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail fragmentary partial plan view with parts removed and broken away, in order to show certain details of the coil supporting carriage not shown in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a, fragmentary substantially longitudinal sectional view showing certain details of the coil loading device and the pinch roll stand for feeding the coil for processing;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the means for aligning the edges of the coil, with certain parts shown in transverse section in order to illustrate certain details thereof;

Figure 9 is a detail fragmentary transverse sectional view of the means for aligning the edges of the coil, showing certain other details not shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially along line Ill-l0 of Figure'l;

Figure 11 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the pinch roll stand, in order to show the adjusting and drive means for the pinch rolls; and

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view showing the fluid diagram for operating the coil loading and feeding means of my invention.

In the drawings, an expansible mandrel I0 is shown as being rotatably mounted on a base frame l2 at the entering end of a pair of pinch rolls I I, H, Said mandrel serves to support a coil of strip metal [5 for unwinding, and said pinch rolls serve to grip and unwind the strip metal and feed it to a suitable processing device such as a flying shear I3, which is adapted to crop the ends thereof, before the metal passes to a pickling and cleaning device or other processing apparatus (not shown). Said flying shear is shown in the drawings for illustrative purposes only and is no part of my present invention so will not herein be shown or described in detail.

The base frame I2 is mounted on a suitable foundation and includes a pair of parallel spaced connected I-beams I6, l6 extending parallel to the axis of the mandrel l0. Said mandrel is suitably mounted on said base frame in a mandrel housing I1 and extends along said frame between said I-beams. Said mandrel housing is mounted on the top sides of said I-beams and projects upwardly therefrom, and said mandrel is journaled in said mandrel housing in overhanging relation with respect thereto, so the open center of the coil-of strip metal I 5, carried on a coil supporting carriage |8, may be placed on its free end. A rotatable abutment plate I9 is mounted on said mandrel housing and abuts the end of said mandrel adjacent said housing. Said abutment plate is adapted to be engaged by one edge of the coil of metal, to permit alignment of the edges of the coil of metal by a coil aligning plate 2 I, in a manner which will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds.

The expanding mandrel l may be of any well known form and is not herein shown or described in detail, since its detailed construction forms no part of my present invention. Figure 12 of the said cylinder in transverse and longitudinal didrawings diagrammatically shows this mandrel as including a plurality of segments 22, 22 expanded'by wedges 23 and 24, which are actuated by a fluid cylinder 25 and piston 26 through a piston rod 21. The admission of fluid under pressure to the head end of said cylinder causes the wedges 23, 24 to coact with the segments 22, 22, to expand said mandrel outwardly to engage the interior of the coil of strip metal I5.

The coil of strip metal I5 is conveyed down a roller conveyer 3| by gravity onto the coil supporting carriage I8, and is supported on said carriage on a plurality of rollers 32, 32 extending parallel to the axis of said coil and suitably mounted on said carriage at their ends. The coil supporting carriage I8 is mounted on flanged wheels 34, 34, mounted for movement along ways 35, 35 extending along the upper side of a platform 36. Said platform is mounted on a carriage 33, for vertical adjustment with respect thereto to elevate the coil so its open center will be in alignment with the mandrel l0. Movement of the carriage I8 along the ways 35, 35 of the platform 36 is limited by a pair of spaced stops 31, 31 projecting upwardly from said platformand adapted to be engaged by a pair of spaced webs 38, 39 depending from the bottom of said carriage. A pair of parallel spaced guide rods 40, 40 are mounted at their ends in said stops and extend through suitable apertured portions of the webs 38, 39, for rectilinearly guiding said coil supporting carriage for movement along said platform.

The carriage |8 is urged into a position to enage the web 39 with the stop 31 which is adjacent the abutment plate I9, by a suitable means i which is herein shown as being a tension spring 4|. Said tension spring is secured at one of its ends to a rod 43, mounted on the forward stop 31, and is secured at its opposite end to a rod 44 mounted on the web 38. Said tension spring will thus move the carriage |8 in a direction towards the mandrel l9 when the weight of the coil I5 is relieved therefrom. The purpose of this arrangement is to permit the rollers 32, 32 to remain in centered relation with respect to the outer run of the coil, during the operation of aligning the edges of the coil, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds.

The platform 36 is moved'vertically with respect to the carriage 33 by a fluid cylinder 41 having a piston rod 49 extensible therefrom. Said cylinder is mounted at its lower end in a cross frame member 55 of the carriage 33, connected between side frame members 56, 56 of said carriage. Said piston rod extends upwardly from said cylinder and is mounted at its upper end in a lug 50, depending from the bottom of said rections (see figures 3 and 5). Guide shafts 53,

53 are mountedin said bosses and depend therefrom, and are slidably guided in vertically extending guide members 54, 54 formed in the cross frame 55 of the carriage .33. Said guide means forms a means for guiding the platform 36 and carriage |8 for vertical rectilinear movement with respect to the carriage 33, so said carriage l8 may elevate the coil in position so its open center is in alignment with the center of the mandrel Hi, to permit the coil to be loaded onto said mandrel by movement of the carriage 33 along the frame The carriage 33 is mounted on flanged wheels 51, 51, which ride on the inner flanges ofthe I-beams l6, l6. Angles 69, are secured to and extend along the webs of said I-beams, and the horizontal legs thereof project inwardly therefrom and are spaced slightly above the treads of the flanged wheels 51, 51. to provide clearance to permit said Wheels to move along said I-beams and to serve as retaining members, to retain said flanged wheels on the inner webs of said I-beams.

The carriage 33 is moved along th I-beams |6, |6 by means of a cylinder 6| mounted in the frame I2 between said I-beams and extending therealong. A piston 'rod 63 is extensible from said cylinder and has a connecting member 64 projecting from its outer end, which interleaves and is pivotally secured between the vertical legs of a pair of spaced angles 65, 65 secured to the web of a cross channel 66 of the cross frame 55.

A supporting standard 69 is mounted on the upper sides of the side frame members 56, 56 of the carriage 33, at the end thereof opposite from the cylinder 6 I, and projects upwardly therefrom. Said standard has a pair of horizontally spaced parallel hollow supportin bosses 10, 10 at its upper end, which extend in the direction of the axis of the mandrel l0 and are spaced on opposite sides thereof. Said supporting bosses each have a shaft 1| slidably mounted therein for adjustment with respect thereto in a direction towards or from the mandrel l0, and form an adjustable support for the coil aligning plate The coil aligning plate 2| and shafts 1|, 1| are held in various positions of adjustment with respect to the mandrel II} by means of spring pressed detents 13, 13. Said detents are adapted to engage the space between any one of a number of teeth 14, 14 cut on the upper sides of said shafts, and are moved out of engagement with said teeth by means of hand grips 12, 12 on the'outer ends thereof.

The aligningplate 2|, as herein shown, is of a substantially annular formation and is provided with three radially spaced projections 15, 15 projecting outwardly from the periphery thereof, which are herein shown as being equally spaced around said aligning plate. Said projections are radially channelled and have engaging members 16, 16 slidably guided in the channelled portions thereof. Retaining members 11, 11 are secured to said 'plate and projections and extend along opposite sides of said channels and form gibbed guides engaging shouldered portions 19, 19 of said engaging members.

Each engaging member 16 is provided with an outer outwardly turned end 80, which is adapted to engage the outer end of the projection 15,

when the engaging member 16 is in an extreme inward position with respect to its guide, to act as a stop for said engaging member. Said engaging member is yieldably held in an inward position by means of a tension spring 8|, secured to a headed pin 82 atone of its ends, and secured to a pin 83 at its opposite end. Said headed pin 82 is mounted in and extends through the outwardly turned end 80 of said engaging member. Said pin 83 is riveted to the aligning plate 2| and extends therefrom, in a direction away from the mandrel III.

The engaging members 16, 16 are adapted to engage an adjacent edge of the coil of strip metal l5 durin movement of said coil onto the mandrel III, by movement of the carriage 33 towards said mandrel, and their purpose is to spring the telescoped side of the coil inwardly and align the sides of the coil.

When the coil has been fully loaded on the mandrel In so that its edge adjacent the abutment plate I9 is in engagement with said plate, and is telescoped to project to its side adjacent the aligning plate 2|, as shown by broken lines in Figure 8, the engaging members 16, 16 will first engage the innermost turn of the outwardly telescoped portion of the coil and push said turn and the next succeeding turns of said coil inwardly along the mandrel l0 until the edges of said coil are in alignment.

It should here be understood that said mandrel is collapsed during the operation of aligning the edges of the coil, and that during this operation, the coil is wholly supported on the rollers 32, 32 on the carriage I8. During this aligning operation the plate 2| is moved inwardly towards the plate I9 by movement of the carriage 33 along the way formed by the I-beams it, Hi. As said carriage is moved along said way to align the edges of the coil, the carriage l8, which is still supporting'the coil, will remain stationary. As said plate and engaging members 76, 16 move inwardly towards the abutment plate I 9, said engaging members engage the curved outer advance surface of said mandrel at their inner ends. This will expand said engaging members outwardly and permit them to move along said mandrel. When the edges of the coil have been aligned, said engaging members are held in engagement with the coil until said mandrel has been fully expanded to grip the inside of the coil. Expansion of said mandrel will move said engaging members outwardly along the guides 11, I1, and their yieldable mounting will permit them to be moved away from the coil, after the mandrel has been completely expanded and it is desired to unwind the coil for cropping or other processing.

An adjustable aligning means or stop 85 is' adapted to engage the outer side of the coil and move said coil horizontally so its open center may be horizontally aligned with the mandrel I0 (see Figures 5 and '7). Said stop is also adapted to engage and stop the coil when being slid down the roller conveyer 3| onto the supporting rollers 32, 32 of the carriage l8. Said stop is herein shown as being mounted on a pair of laterally spaced horizontal shafts 86, 86, which are slidably mounted in an upright outboard support 81 mounted on a support plate 88 extending from the carriage |8 in a direction towards the pinch rolls Said outboard support is spaced upwardly from and overhangs said plate and extends horizontally from said plate in a direction towards the mandrel H). A threaded shaft 89 is secured to the central portion of said stop and is slidably guided in said outboard support. A worm gear is threaded on said shaft, rectilinearly moving said shaft along said outboard support. Said worm gear is suitably mounted in a bearing support member 9|, secured to the outboard support 81, and is suitably held from movement with respect to said bearing support member in the direction of its axis. A worm 92 on a transverse shaft 93 meshes with said worm gear, for rotating said worm gear and moving said adjustable stop towards or from the axis of the coil IS. A hand wheel 94 is provided on the end of said shaft, to enable said stop to-be adjusted by hand, to take care of the varying diameters of the coils and to horizontally align said coils with respect to said mandrel.

It should here be noted with particular refer ence to Figures 3, 4 and 8, that when it is desired to load a coil mounted on the rollers 32, 32 onto the mandrel l0, and said coil is horizontally aligned with respect to said mandrel, that the coil is first elevated by means of the cylinder 41 and piston rod 49 until it is in vertical alignment with said mandrel. Fluid under pressure is then admitted to the piston rod end of the cylinder 6| to move the carriage 33 and I8 towards said mandrel and to move the coil onto said mandrel until it engages the abutment plate l9.

Where the coil is telescoped to extend outwardly towards the aligning plate 2|, as is shown by broken lines in Figure 8, the carriage 33 is moved a further distance after said coil has been loaded onto said mandrel and is in engagement with the abutment plate IE, to cause said aligning plate to align the telescopededges of the coil. During this movement, the carriage l8 carrying the weight of the coil will remain stationary and the carriage 33 will be moved with respect to said carriage to the position shown by dotted lines in this figure, to maintain the coil in a central position with reference to the rollers 32, 32, during the operation of aligning the edges of the coil.

Where the coil is telescoped to extend in a direction towards the abutment plate I9 as is shown in Figure 4, the coil l5 supported on the rollers 32, 32 of the carriage |8 in centered relation with respect to its outer run, will be moved as a unit with said carriage and the carriage 33, until the sides of said coil have been aligned with the sides of the outer run thereof. During this operation the engaging members 16, 16 of the aligning plate 2| will first engage the outer edge of the outer turn of the coil. After the coil has been moved onto the mandrel so that its sprung inner turn is in engagement with the abutment plate I9, the carriages 8 and 33 will continue to move as a unit with the coil. Said engaging members 16 engagin the outer turn of the coil will push this turn and the next succeeding turns inwardly towards the abutment plate l9 until the edges of the coil are aligned.

When the edges of the coil are aligned and the mandrel ID has been expanded to grip the inside of the coil, the carriage I8 is lowered under control of the cylinder 41 and piston rod 49, to permit the cylinder 6| and piston rod 63 to move the two carriages and the aligning plate 2| back to a position into alignment with the roller conveyer 3|, to position the carriage l8 to receive th next succeeding coil of metal.

During the operation of centering and loading the coil I5 onto the mandrel ID, the tail end of the coil, which is its leading end when being payed off of the mandrel l0, projects in a direction towards the pinch rolls II, II and rests on an inclined guide plate 95. Said inclined guide plate is mounted on the pinch roll stand and extends in a horizontal direction away from the entering end of said pinch roll stand to a position in alignment with the carriage I8, when said carriage is in position to receive a coil from the roller conveyer 3!. During movement of the carriage I8 towards the mandrel I0, said tail end of the coil will slide along the upper surface of said guide plate and beneath a guide plate 96, extending in the direction of said guide plate 05 and mounted above said guide plate on said pinch roll stand, and will be guided by said guide plates between the pinch rolls I I, II.

The lower pinch roll II is mounted adjacent its opposite ends in suitable bearing supports 39, 90, projecting upwardly from a bottom plate I or a frame IOI of the pinch roll stand. Said frame is of a substantially C-shaped formation opening towards the guide plates and 86, to permit the insertion of the tail end of the coil between said pinch rolls as the coil is loaded onto the mandrel I0. The upper portion of said frame IOI is provided with a pair of laterally spaced vertically extended channelled guides I02, I02, within which is guided a frame I03 having the upper pinch roll II suitably Journaled therein, adjacent its opposite ends. A piston rod I04 extensible from a cylinder I05 is secured to the frame I03 for moving said frame vertically, to engage the upper pinch roll II with the upper surface of the metal and to pay the metal off of the mandrel I0 upon rotation of said pinch rolls.

The pinch rolls II, II are both driven from a motor I06 mounted on a support bracket I0I, herein shown as being pivotally connected to the frame IOI adjacent its inner end and projecting laterally therefrom. The opposite end of said bracket is supported on a yieldable member I08 which provides a floating mounting for said motor. Said motor has drive connection with a worm I 09 through a suitable drive connection which is herein shown as being a V-belt drive indicated generally by reference character H0. The worm I09 meshes with a worm gear III on a shaft II2 substantially'coaxial with the lower roll II. Said shaft II2 has connection with the lower pinch roll II by means of a flexible drive connection indicated by reference character 4, herein shown as being a Well known form of roller mill drive connection. A spur gear IIS on the shaft II2 meshes with and drives a spur gear IIS on a parallel shaft H3. Said shaft is flexibly connected with the upper pinch roll II by means of a suitable roller mill drive connection I I'll.

Referring now in particular to the fluid diagram shown in Figure 12 and the interlocking connection between the mandrel I0 and the cylinder I05 for engaging the pinch rolls with the strip metal, a control valve H0 is provided to control the admission and release of fluid under pressure to the cylinder 25, for expanding and retracting the mandrel I0. Said control valve is connected with a fluid pump I20 by means of a pressure line I2I. A return line I22 leads from said control valve to a fluid storage tank I23. A pressure line I24 leads from said control valve to the piston rod end of the cylinder 25, to supply fluid under pressure to said end of said cylinder and move the wedges 23 and 24 in a direction to permit said mandrel to retract. A relief valve I25 is provided in said pressure line 8 to relieve excessive pressures from said pressure line and said cylinder 25. A pressure line I21 leads from the control valve IIO to a speed con- .trol valve I28. A pressure line I29 leads from said speed control valve'to the head end of the cylinder 25 for supplying fluid under pressure thereto, to move the wedges 23 and 24 in a direction to expand the mandrel I0. The speed control valve I28 may be a reduced return valve of a well known form, to restrict the passage of fluid from the head end of said cylinder to the return, to retard the speed of travel of the piston 23 when moving in a direction to permit said mandrel to contract.

A pressure line I30 connects the pressure line I29 with a by-pass valve I3I. A pressure line I33 connects said by-pass valve with a control valve I34. A return line I35 connects said control valve with the tank I23. A pressure line I36 connects said control valve with the head end of the cylinder I05, to supply fluid under pressure thereto and to move the upper pinch roll in a direction to engage the upper surface of the strip metal and to hold said pinch roll in engagement therewith. A pressure line I3I connects the control valve I34 with a speed control valve I39. A pressure line I40 connects said speed control valve with the piston rod end of the cylinder I05, for supplying fluid under pressure thereto and moving the upper pinch roll II in a direction to release pressure from the upper surface of the metal. Said speed control valve I39 like the speed control valve I28 may be a reduced return valve, and is provided to reduce and control the speed of engagement of the upper pinch roll with the strip metal. The by-pass valve I3! is provided to hold pressure in the line I30 until a predetermined pressure is reached therein, at which time the mandrel [0 will be in a'fully expanded condition and will be held in engagement with the inside of the coil I5. This valve therefore prevents the upper pinch roll II from being moved into engagement with the upper surface of the metal until the mandrel I0 has been fully expanded. 1

A pump MI is provided to supply fluid under pressure to the head and piston rod ends of the cylinders BI and 41, to move the carriage 33 in one direction or another along the I-beams I6, I6 and to elevate or lower the carriage I8- The fluid and control connections fromsaid pumps to said cylinders may be of any well known form and are no part of my present invention so will not herein be described in detail.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable expansible mandrel,

. means for loading a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising a carriage mounted for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, another carriage mounted on said carriage for movement with respect thereto in the same direction as said first mentioned carriage, and forming a support for said coil, means for elevating said second mentioned carriage to elevate the coil of strip metal into position for loading onto said mandrel, engaging means on said first mentioned carriage for engaging the edge of said coil opposite from said mandrel, and means for moving said carriages towards said mandrel for loading said coil onto said mandrel, said means being adapted to move said first carriage after said coil has been loaded onto said mandrel, while said second carriage remains in a stationary position, to cause said engaging means to align the edges of the turns of said coil while said coil is supported on said second carriage.

2. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable expansible mandrel, means for loading a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising a carriage mounted for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, another carriage mounted on said carriage for movement with respect thereto in the same direction as said first mentioned carriage and forming a support for said coil, means for elevating said second mentioned carriage, to elevate said coil into position for loading onto said mandrel, means on said first mentioned carriage for engaging the edge of said coil opposite said mandrel, and means for moving said carriages towards said mandrel, for loading said coil onto said mandrel, said means being adapted to move said first carriage after said coil has been loaded onto said mandrel, while said second carriage remains in a stationary position, to cause said engaging means to align the edges of the turns of said coil while said coil is supported on said second carriage in alignment therewith, and means for returning said second carriage to a loading position with respect to said first carriage after the weight of said coil has been relieved therefrom.

3. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable expansible mandrel, means for loadin a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising a carriage mounted for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, another carriage mounted on said carriage for movement with respect thereto in the same direction as said first mentioned carriage and forming a support for said coil, means for elevating said second mentioned carriage to elevate said coil into position for loading onto said mandrel, engaging means on said first mentioned carriage for engaging the edge of said coil opposite said mandrel, and means for moving said carriages towards said mandrel for loading said coil onto said mandrel, said means being adapted to move said first carriage after said coil has been loaded onto said mandrel, while said second carriage remains in a stationary position, to cause said engaging means to align the edges of the turns of said coil while said coil is supported on said second carriage in alignment therewith, and yieldable means connected between said carriages for returning said second carriage to an initial loading position with respect to said first carriage after the weight of said coil has been relieved therefrom.

4. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable expansible mandrel, means for loading a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising; a carriage mounted on ways for movement towards and from said mandrel in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, a coil supporting carriage having a plurality of rollers thereon for supporting a coil of strip metal, said coil supporting carriage being mounted on said first mentioned carriage for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, means for l0 1 I elevating said coil supporting carriage to elevate said coil into position for loading onto said mandrel, an aligning plate mounted on said first mentioned carriage and having engagement with the edge of said coil opposite from said mandrel, and means for moving said carriages and aligning plate towards said mandrel, for loading said coil onto said mandrel, said means being adapted to move said first mentioned carriage and said aligning plate with respect to said mandrel after said coil has been loaded onto said mandrel, to align the edges of the turns of said coil.

5. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable expansible mandrel, means for loading a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising a carriage mounted on ways for movement towards and from said mandrel in the direction of'the axis of said mandrel, a coil supporting carriage having a plurality of rollers thereon for supporting a coil of strip metal, said coil supporting carriage being mounted on said first mentioned carriage for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, means for elevating said coil supporting carriage to elevate said coil into position for loading onto said mandrel, an aligning plate mounted on said first mentioned carriage and having engagement with the edge of said coil opposite from said mandrel, and means for moving said carriages and plate towards said mandrel, for loading said coil onto said mandrel, said means being adapted to move said first mentioned carriage and aligning plate towards said mandrel after said coil has been loaded thereon while said carriage remains in a stationary position, to cause said aligning plate to align the edges of the turns of said coil while said coil is supported in an aligned position on said coil supporting carriage, and means operable to return said coil supporting carriage to an initial position with respect to said first carriage after the weight of said coil has been removed therefrom.

6. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable mandrel, means for loading a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising a carriage mounted on ways for movement towards and from said mandrel in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, a coil supporting carriage having a plurality of rollers thereon for supporting a coil of strip metal, said coil supporting carriage being mounted on said first mentioned carriage for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, means for elevating said coil supporting carriage, to elevate said coil into position for loading onto said mandrel, an aligning plate mounted on said first mentioned carriage and having engagement with the edge of said coil opposite from said mandrel, and means for moving said carriages and plate towards said mandrel, for loading said coil onto said mandrel, said means being adapted to move said first mentioned carriage and plate towards said mandrel after said coil has been loaded thereon while said carriage remains in a stationary position, to cause said plate to align the edges of the turns of said coil while said coil is supported in an aligned position on said coil supporting carriage,

and means operable to return said coil supporting carriage to an initial position with respect to said first carriage after the weight of said coil has been removed therefrom, including yieldable means connected between said carriages.

7. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable mandrel, an abutment plate at the end of said mandrel opposite therewith and be engaged by an edge oi! the coil of strip metal, means for loading a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising a carriage mounted on ways for movement towards and from said mandrel in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, a coil supporting carriage for supporting a coil of strip metal, said coil supporting carriage being mounted on said first mentioned carriage for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, means for elevating said coil supporting carriage to elevate said coil into position for loading onto said mandrel, an aligningplate mounted on said first mentioned carriage and having engagement with the edge of said coil opposite from said abutment plate, and means for moving said carriages and aligning plate towards said abutment plate for loading said coil onto said mandrel and for moving said first mentioned carriage and plate with respect to said mandrel after said coil has been loaded onto said mandrel, for aligning the edges of the turns of said coil between said abutment plate and said aligning plate.

8. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable mandrel, an abutment plate at the end of said mandrel opposite the receiving end thereof and adapted to rotate therewith and be engaged by an edge of the coil of strip metal, means for loading a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising a carriage mounted on ways for movement towards and from said mandrel in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, a coil supporting carriage for supportinga coil of strip metal, said coil supporting carriag being mounted on said first mentioned carriage for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, means for elevating said coil supporting carriage to elevate said coil into position for loading onto said mandrel, an aligning plate mounted on said first mentioned carriage and having engagement with the edge of said coil opposite from said abutment plate, and means for moving said carriages and aligning plate towards said abutment plate for loading said coil onto said mandrel and for moving said first mentioned carriage and plate with respect to said mandrel after said coil has been loaded onto said mandrel for aligning the edges of the turns of said coil between said abutment plate and said r 12 with respect to said coil during said aligning operation, and means operable to return said coil supporting carriage to an initial position with respect to said first mentioned carriage after the weight of said coil has been removed therefrom. 9. In a device for feeding strip metal and in combination with a rotatable mandrel, an abutment plate at the end of said mandrel opposite the receiving end thereof and adapted to rotate therewith and be engaged by an end of the coil of strip metal, means for loading a coil of strip metal onto said mandrel comprising a carriage mounted on rails for movement towards and from said mandrel in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, a coil supporting carriage for supporting a coil of strip metal, said coil supporting carriage being mounted on said firstamentioned carriage for movement in the direction of the axis of said mandrel, means for elevating said coil supporting carriage to elevate said coil into position for loading onto said mandrel, an aligning plate mounted on said first mentioned carriage and having engagement with the edge of said coil opposite from said abutment plate, and means for 5 moving said carriages and aligning plate towards aligning plate, said coil supporting carriage being adapted to remain stationary during the operation of aligning the edges of the turns of said coil, to maintain said carriage in centered relation said abutment plate, for loading said coil onto said mandrel and for moving said first mentioned carriage and plate with respect to said mandrel after said coil has been loaded onto said mandrel, for aligning the edges of the turns of said coil between said abutment plate and said aligning plate, said coil supporting carriage being adapted to remain stationary during the operation of aligning the edges of the turns of said coil, to maintain said carriage in a centered position with respect to said coil, during said aligning operation, and yieldable' means connected between said carriages to return said coil supporting carriage to an initial position with respect to said first mentioned carriage after the weight of said coil has been removed therefrom.

FRANK J. WOOD.

, REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,175,755 Matteson Oct. 10, 1939 2,228,477 Nash et al Jan. 14, 1941 2,266,06'7 Nyberg Dec. 16, 1941 2,278,240 Calieson et al Mar. 31, 1942 

